Welcome to Poem of the Day – The Sun Rising by John Donne.
“The Sun Rising“ is a poem by John Donne, a leading figure in the metaphysical poetry movement of the 17th century. Published in 1633 as part of his collection Songs and Sonnets, the poem addresses themes of love, time, and the power of human experience. Through its innovative use of metaphysical conceits and striking imagery, the poem explores the relationship between the speaker and his beloved, challenging conventional notions of time and the natural world.
Content
Busy old fool, unruly sun,
Why dost thou thus,
Through windows, and through curtains call on us?
Must to thy motions lovers’ seasons run?
Saucy pedantic wretch, go chide
Late school boys and sour prentices,
Go tell court huntsmen that the king will ride,
Call country ants to harvest offices,
Love, all alike, no season knows nor clime,
Nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time.
Thy beams, so reverend and strong
Why shouldst thou think?
I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink,
But that I would not lose her sight so long;
If her eyes have not blinded thine,
Look, and tomorrow late, tell me,
Whether both th’ Indias of spice and mine
Be where thou leftst them, or lie here with me.
Ask for those kings whom thou saw’st yesterday,
And thou shalt hear, All here in one bed lay.
She’s all states, and all princes, I,
Nothing else is.
Princes do but play us; compared to this,
All honor’s mimic, all wealth alchemy.
Thou, sun, art half as happy as we,
In that the world’s contracted thus.
Thine age asks ease, and since thy duties be
To warm the world, that’s done in warming us.
Shine here to us, and thou art everywhere;
This bed thy center is, these walls, thy sphere.
The Sun Rising Poem Explanation
In “The Sun Rising,” the speaker directly addresses the sun, chiding it for interrupting his time with his lover. The speaker sees the sun as an intruder, disrupting their intimate moments. He commands the sun to go away and not disturb their private paradise, asserting that their love is so significant that it makes the rest of the world irrelevant.
The poem then shifts to a reflection on the power and scope of love. The speaker argues that their love transcends the boundaries of time and space. He suggests that their love is a microcosm of the universe, rendering all other concerns—such as the passage of time and the movements of the celestial bodies—insignificant. The poem concludes with the idea that love is a force that can transform and dominate the world, placing the lovers at the center of their own universe.
Themes and Analysis
Love vs. Time: The poem explores the tension between love and the constraints of time. The speaker defies the sun’s authority, suggesting that their love is so profound that it overrides the natural order. By challenging the sun’s role in marking time, the speaker emphasizes the timeless nature of their love.
Power of Love: The speaker asserts that their love is powerful enough to make the sun and the rest of the world insignificant. This idea is expressed through the metaphor of love creating its own universe, where the lovers are the central figures. The poem elevates love to a cosmic level, suggesting that it can control and redefine reality.
Metaphysical Conceits: Donne employs metaphysical conceits—complex and extended metaphors—to explore abstract concepts. In this poem, the conceit involves the sun as a personified entity that intrudes upon the lovers’ time together. The elaborate comparisons and imaginative language underscore the intellectual and emotional depth of the speaker’s feelings.
Defiance and Rebellion: The speaker’s address to the sun is both defiant and rebellious. By commanding the sun to go away and asserting the superiority of his love, the speaker challenges traditional views of nature and authority. This defiance highlights the speaker’s belief in the supremacy of love over external forces.
Transformation of Reality: The poem suggests that love has the power to transform reality. The speaker’s assertion that their love makes the sun and time irrelevant reflects a belief in the ability of love to shape and dominate their world. This theme is reinforced by the speaker’s claim that their love is a microcosm of the universe.
Structure and Form
Form: “The Sun Rising” is a three-stanza poem written in the form of a lyric poem. It follows a structure of 20 lines, divided into three stanzas of varying lengths. This form allows the speaker to develop his arguments and reflections in a fluid and dynamic manner.
Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows an irregular rhyme scheme, which contributes to its conversational and spontaneous tone. The lack of a strict pattern reflects the speaker’s emotional intensity and the poem’s focus on personal experience rather than formal constraints.
Meter: The poem is written in iambic pentameter, a common meter in English poetry that consists of lines with ten syllables, alternating between unstressed and stressed syllables. The meter provides a rhythmic and musical quality to the poem, enhancing its emotional impact.
Imagery and Conceits: The poem is rich in imagery and metaphysical conceits. The sun is personified and depicted as an intruder, while the lovers’ relationship is compared to a microcosm of the universe. These imaginative comparisons and vivid images contribute to the poem’s exploration of love and its power.
Significance
“The Sun Rising” by John Donne is a celebrated example of metaphysical poetry, showcasing the poet’s innovative use of conceits and vivid imagery. The poem’s exploration of love as a force that transcends time and space reflects Donne’s intellectual and emotional depth. Through its defiant tone, imaginative comparisons, and exploration of the power of love, the poem challenges conventional views of nature and authority, celebrating the transformative and all-encompassing nature of love.